Chapter 2 Tab

Great. I grabbed a girl.

I don't have anything against girls. I mean, I'm a teenage boy for crying out loud, so I can't really complain. But girls scream. Loud. And guys just can't resist helping a girl in danger, especially if she's pretty. And if none do, there is a good chance her boyfriend is around the corner, just ready to beat up anyone who touches her.

Thankfully, this girl doesn't scream. She's plenty scared; I can tell by her eyes. They're gray and dark and probably the only feature I can make out well enough. Yet she's oddly calm, considering I have a gun pointed at her face. Sure, I don't actually know how to use it, but I would think I look pretty intimidating right now.

"W-who are you?" She manages in a small voice.

"Who am I?" I freeze. I straighten as I regain my composure. "I don't think you're in the position to be asking questions."

She raises her eyebrow suspiciously, but sighs. No, she definitely doesn't have a boyfriend. She strikes me as the type who boys fall for; she just doesn't realize it or she just doesn't care. That makes me feel a little better. Of course, I can't see her really well, so I couldn't really tell.

She purses her lips and gives me a questioning glare. I don't know if she can see me in the low light. Just in case I don't look intimidating enough, I press the gun farther into her cheek.

"Ow," She says in a tone that I can't really tell if she's actually hurt or just implying that if I go any farther it will.

"Perhaps I should ask what your name is before I tell you mine."

"Carter. Now I should probably mention that my best friend lives right next door and can hear me if I yell loud enough."

Shoot. I got it wrong about the boyfriend thing.

"If you scream, I shoot."

She looks the gun over and then raises her eyebrow again. "You realize this gun doesn't actually have any bullets in it?"

I take it up for inspection. While I'm not paying attention, she starts to run. I drop the gun and catch her before she can get out of the alley.

Her eyes fall on the gun that I dropped on the ground. We lunge for it at the same time. She tries to kick it away, but I catch it. I pull her tightly and stick the gun to her waist.

"You really thought that would work?" She squirms but I pull her tighter.

"It was worth a shot," She replies, still trying to wiggle free.

Hmm. I think I like this girl. Maybe she would work. If only she'd stop squirming.

"I need you to do something for me."

She stops squirming for a few moments. "Do I have a choice?"

"No. I need you to find me a place to hide. Like a basement or something."

"Why do you need a place to-"She cut short. "You're the boy on the news!"

I groan. It got on the news already?

"Why should I? Or do I have a choice?" There's a hint of attitude in her voice.

"No, you don't have a choice. You can either help me and I won't put a bullet in your head or you don't and I do."

Carter lets out an audible humph. "Fine. Just don't expect a luxury resort."

"I couldn't expect anything more," I smirk.

Carter steps into the light. I can see her clearly now. She's not short, but she's not really tall either. She's got short brown hair that's kind of choppy. The way I describe her doesn't really do her justice.

But I had to admit, she was cute.